Dragster Too Extreme?

The Dragster launch is without a doubt the the best experience I ever had. It was indeed twenty seconds of my life that I will remember. I am already considering going back to CP for round two next year for another ride or two on Dragster.

"(I'm sure some will agree with me)."

... I totally agree with you. I like blue streak better. Although meanstreak is still the WORLDS 3rd biggest drop for a woody (key word being drop) ;), the ride experience does little for me. and you right, bigger is not Always better. ..but it's never not fun!
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The B E S T SEVENTEEN s-e-c-o-n-d-s of SHEER >>InSaNitY<< I've E V E R experienced!

This really is a great topic. After our first ride my buddy and I had this same conversation. I remember wondering what the GP would think of the ride because the launch is just so damn intense. Now that I have a few rides under my belt I can begin to concentrate on other aspects of the ride besides the launch. The downward twist is really a thrilling element. I believe that it redefines head/arm chopper.

I have only greyed out once and that was on Goliath at SFMM. I believe it had more to do with my lack of food and drink that day than the ride but who knows? My buddy greys out every single time on MF. When I ride it with him I watch his face and see it happening during the first overbanked turn. It's always good for a laugh because I yell "You're greying out!" He can't hear me at all and a few seconds later he yells to me "I greyed out!" :)

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Millennium Force Laps-115
**Vertigo Launches-21**
Dragster Launches-7

Mantis is a nice coaster, first off, but that is my opinion...and getting launched with a feeling of extreme exhileration from 0-120 mph in less than 4 seconds is something unmatched...and the birds eye view of Millennium Force is something that you just dont get to experience for yourself all that too often
(How is VetiGo? They tore it down before I even noticed it was at Cedar Point!)
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LaUnCh...420 feet, 120 mph, 4 seconds....brakes...breathe (11 Stories above Millennium Force)

After the 50-some times I've ridden MF, I've only greyed out twice.

This is my theory on why people grey out on MF. I think this happens from a lack of oxygen from yelling/screaming too much on the drop. By the time they breathe in again, they are halfway up the first turn. But their cells haven't had a chance to respire because of the pause in their normal breathing pattern on the drop. Combine this lack of oxygen in the cells with the positive G's on the first overbank, and you've got yourself a grey out.

I could be wrong, but how many of you that grey out on MF yell/scream hysterically on MF's drop?

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...and the most anticipated event of summer 2003 is...

The Matrix: Reloaded!

Playa21-Vertigo was amazing. It really scared the crap out of me. It's a shame that it's gone, and a shame that the ride similar to it wasn't running when I was at SFMM. :(

CP bound-I remember reading here in the past that the exact opposite was true, it was the people that didn't yell/scream on the first drop who grey out. Your explanation does make sense though. I know I yell my head off during the first drop every time with glee. :)

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Millennium Force Laps-115
**Vertigo Launches-21**
Dragster Launches-7

Actually, that theory sounds good to me. The only times that I ever greyed out on MF was the first two or three times that I rode it (which by the way didn't happen on my first trip on TTD) Even though I wasn't screaming, I never actually yell on coasters for some reason, I'm sure that I was too nervous to breathe properly. Now, with over 100 trips on MF it is no big deal, so I do remember to breathe and don't grey out. So, even if you don't scream, you probably won't breath normally at least on your first few trips. :)

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Admin- http://rollercoast.proboards16.com/

Who black out or "greys out" on Roller Coasters? I have never felt dizzy, or even light headed after any ride on any of Cedar Points coaster's. The only ride in the park that I usually find discomfort in is Mean Streak ( you ride back seat and tell me you don't have a back ache after that ) Although Mean Streak is a awesome Thrill ride, some times... it does hurt. But i've been on Top Thrill Dragster twice, in a 2 hour period, and I found Nothing Discomforting (maybe except the launch with getting the wind slighty knocked out of me) but that was all in the fun. so... yeah. I don't know how you can black out on a roller coaster, especially one that goes about as fast as i drive on the highway to get there...

Yes, I've gotten my Car up to 120 in the outskirts of Sandusky :)

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TTD: 2
MF: 15
WT: 6
usually at CP: mon, tuesday, thursday

I don't grey out after the first overbank turn, but I do grey out at the bottom of the first drop. I believe the ride is 5 G's at the bottom of that drop so that's why I grey out. For me though, I do more than grey out. There is very little light and the black spots grow so big that I really can't see much. I am one with a low blood pressure. Meaning, that the blood in body doesn't circulate nearly as fast as the normal person. The result? When I hit the bottom of the first hill, all my blood is pushed out of my head. You head (eyes) needs blood to correctly see. Since it's all in the bottom of my body, I can't see too well. Combined with low blood pressure, it takes a bit longer for blood to get back into my head for me to see.

Experiment: Have you ever been laying down and when you sat up you "grey out?" That is exactly what is happening to people on MF.

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If there's bugs on your shirt, you had a good ride.

The launch on TTD is indeed very intense. However, my 3rd and 4th rides did not seem nearly as intense to me and I'm assuming this is the same for a lot of people. It is still an incredible experience not worth missing.
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Ready Ready

I've greyed out on the first turn on MF and I never scream/yell, so it has to be something else. I think it has more to do with the length of time that the positive Gs are occurring.

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I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.

I think it's different for everyone. My son doesn't scream, and is not afraid of MF at all, so I don't believe the lack of oxygen is the cause. It could be blood pressure...there have been times (for example last Wednesday while waiting for TTD to open) we've been sitting on the ground and he stands up quickly (they were getting ready to launch a train) and he feels the "greying out" sensation.

Even at my age, I have never felt this sensation on any coaster, but I believe my son when he tells me he's had it. It doesn't happen every time he rides, MF, just once in a while.

BTW, my son and I both wear contacts and we have little trouble either on MF or TTD with them. Of course, I always bring my case and wetting solution, and my glasses just in case I lose a contact.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm

yeah, i've greyed out just by standing up too. i heard that it's true that you can expirience the same amount of g's on a roller coaster in everyday activities, i guess that standing up is one of them.

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It's like a new pair of underwear; at first it's constrictive... but after a while it becomes a part of you. -Garth Algar

I grey out occasionally too on MF and I did on the first time I rode dragster. But only when we launched after that I was fine. With my body if a motion happens too fast and I'm not ready for it I'll grey out for a minute or two then feel normal again.
*** This post was edited by Tasha 7/22/2003 12:44:29 AM ***

i want a roll back and a grey out!
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The B E S T SEVENTEEN s-e-c-o-n-d-s of SHEER >>InSaNitY<< I've E V E R experienced!

i also want to slide down the space spiral slide!!! :)

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It's like a new pair of underwear; at first it's constrictive... but after a while it becomes a part of you. -Garth Algar

This is my personal opinion without reading any of the replies of the other members of this board.

Through my personal experience of Top Thrill Dragster, which is five excursions to date, the ride is not to extreme or intense in my vocabulary. It is a thrilling ride that brings much excitement. It doesn't hurt, I didn't feel any kind of pressure, it didn't scare me enough to make me shake. I've never came off sick or any discomfort.

The ride is safe for me because I use the best judgement, I get on when I feel good and when I am comfortable enough to not have to contemplate whether or not I should get on. There are plenty of people who are willing to ride it and unless they come of traumatized, harmed, or with discomfort, then there really isn't a problem. Honestly, when I get off, I don't even remember being on the ride.

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Life has it's ups and downs, might as well make it on a coaster!

I doubt it'll make you black out. I've never blacked out on a roller coaster. Though I'm alot younger than most people here and everyone's different. But the last time I blacked out was at Kentucky Kingdom (dare I say). I was simply waiting in line for pizza. If it's sunny and hot out and your blood-sugar level is lower than what your body is used to, that could cause a black out. I'd recommend drinking a a soda or eating something before you wait in line (face it, you'll wait long enough, for it to get digested enough). I haven't been on TTD yet, so I can't give you any other advise on how ride is. Anywho, good luck, hope you don't black out or get sick.

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Courage is not the absence of fear. It is over comming it.
*** This post was edited by Meeko 7/23/2003 11:53:45 PM ***

Yesterday, July 24, I finally experienced my first launch on TTD. Having created this thread and feeling so much doubt about the ride, I can finally share my thoughts to those that are having similar feelings.

At about 5:00, I felt as if the ride was going to open for some reason, so I waited in a small build-up outside the turnstiles. Sure enough, they did 3 launches shortly after, only the last made it over the top. And surprisingly, they just opened the line. In much excitement, I entered the line and walked through the turnstiles, past the pop machines. From what I heard, that would have been only 30-45 min. wait without problems. But, there were plenty of problems; I'd say there were 30 or more times of "mechanical problems." Two or three trains would launch, and then it was down for a few minutes, sometimes longer. I was so pleased that the crew was determined to keep it open; with the frequent frustrating problems, they could have easily shut it down for the day. After 3+ hours of waiting, I was loaded in the very front seat of the ride.

Keep in mind that many people are so scared of this ride, that the end brings them much happiness, as they overcame that fear. I was not nervous about TTD in the slightest at any point of time, so I knew it was going to take alot to please me (especially after being so tired from the wait).

The launch was amazing, but I was petrified my contacts were going to blow out (I have the non-disposable, hard contacts that are $90 each and take a long time to re-order). A couple times throughout the ride I put my hands over my eyes, thinking that if I blinked, they'd surely pop out. I've never had that worry before on a ride, but I think it was because the launch made my eyeballs feel like they were moved an inch inward. After the amazing launch, we were thrown upward to the top, faster than I had imagined, and I just remember seeing a flash of the whole park, and then looking down at the spiral...brakes.

I never came close to blacking out, I felt no pain, and I thought that TTD was an excellent addition to the park (very smooth, enjoyable ride). Like most have said about the first ride...it happened so fast that I don't remember too much.....it just felt like launch, view at top, brakes (but I guess that's all there is lol). It was better than I expected, but I can't say where I'd rank it yet (I need 5 or more rides to see if the charm wears off); it's definitely another top coaster at CP that I'll look forward to riding in the future. Would I wait 3 hours again for another ride? No, but I can't say that about any other ride either. TTD is deserving of an hour wait, like the other top coasters at CP.

In conclusion, TTD is not too extreme; though, the contact issue may have taken a little away from the whole experience (and the 5 smashed bugs on my face weren't pleasant). It is defiinitely fun, and I'm ready for some more rides!

*** This post was edited by Ffej 7/25/2003 10:32:06 PM ***

Dragster is pretty intense, I'll admit that. But I rode hypersonic yesterday, and I thought hypersonic was alot more intense.